When too much isn't enough...

SO today was bad. I was in a bad mood. It was Navy Seal FitDeck time. I decided I needed more so I came up with this brilliant plan....

Navy Seal FitDeck (NSFD) is 20 cards. 4 sets of 5 cards, shuffled randomly. 1 lap after each set for a total of 1.3 miles.

Futhermore, b/c I needed punishment I stepped up my rep ranges on everything but the pull ups. Advanced on core, intermediate on lower body and push ups, but still beginner on all pull ups.

All that together did me in. Took about 30 min. It was BRUTAL. I am shaking all over AND I vomited after my last lap. Success!

Scheduling

I didn't work out yesterday but I'll get on it today.

So I'm putting in my 4 days a week but I'm doing it haphazardly. Not Mon- Th or Mon, Wed, Th, Sat or anything like that. It's just sort of getting done when it gets done so I can't complain but I would like to get myself back on a schedule. I'm thinking after the holiday bullshit is totally gone I'll be able to pull that off.

Side note- my olympic set and its 500lbs gets here in about 3 weeks. The count down has started. I will put up some videos of me getting awesome with it. Also, I think this spring I'm going to kick it into overdrive and get SERIOUS with bouts of HOC, sprinting, dead lifting, Navy Seal FitDeck-ing and all out brutality. I want to become a machine in '09 and put on at least 15 pounds of solid muscle. I am looking to the deadlift and the squats for that one.

High rep snatches, pitbulls, and the Bouncing Souls

Today, I got back from running around and was feeling a workout. I decided to do high-rep snatches w/ the 20KG. I have usually used the 16KG in the past and now I know why. I had to take a break after round 20 for about 2 min before I finished the last 10 rounds. The video is my last 6 sets. 30 rounds, reps of 6, 8 seconds rest between sets. The two ogres in the video are my stubborn headed dogs who have to get in the way when I'm home b/c they are nosey and lovable.

Man Makers

Friday I didn't work out. Yesterday I did and it got serious.

3 rounds,heavy.

3 24KG man makers (these with the two 24KG are brutal on me. its almost 70% of my bw)
5 windmills R/L
4 20KG double snatches to military press
4 get-up sit ups R/L

finish with alt leg raises, planks, descending twisting crunches from Newport.

The double snatches to MP I just kind of made up on the fly. It was actually pretty challenging on my shoulders from dealing with catching the weight overhead at he top of the snatch, then bringing back down to the rack and instead of going back btw my legs and my hips/core taking the weight, it stayed in the rack for the press and came back to it one more time. I really felt it. Give it a shot and see what you think.

Merry Christmas and Navy Seal Fit Deck

I celebrated the birth of baby Jesus this morning by going through my Navy Seal FitDeck.

It was easier this time than it was last time. By easier I mean that I didn't have to break up any of the pull up sets to get my reps in (except for 1 and I drew it as my second to last card- bastards).

I still don't feel ok about myself. I will probably work out again later today. Maybe run sprints or do high-rep snatches.

Heavy is Hard

yea yea... the below might not sound heavy to you but it's heavy to me.



4 sets of 5 swings to snatches wth the 24KG





4 sets of 8 double 20KG KB long-cycle clean & press

destruction care of kettlebells, soundtrack care of blood for blood and blacklisted.

i cannot wait to get my olympic bar and plates for xmas. no more chicken legs. heavy squats and heavy deadlifts here i come!

Saturday's Hangover Cure

When I drink and get hungover, the next day I have to workout. Personal rule. It's always ruff on multiuple levels. Saturday to make it count I did this weird circuit that sounded like a good idea but maybe wasn't such a good idea after all.

3 rounds of
10 behind the back squats w/ 24KG
1-5 C&P ladder w/ 20KG
10 front squats w/ 24KG
10 swings w/ 24 KG

After that I tried one C&P ladder using both 20KG at the same time. I got from 1-3 and at that point I was sort of done. I could have probably gotten rungs 4 & 5 but wife and were running late to a family function and my back was starting to get worn out from the squats and the double C&P is really a whole diff ball game regarding full body tension.

I finished it all off with side bends using the 24KG and then I went in.

Friday Nite

Tonite is our holiday party at the house. I had to get a workout in before I walked the dogs and got preparations started.

I grabbed the 24KG and was going to do a little circuit but then saw my FitDeck cards on way out door. I shuffled them and counted out 1/2 the deck (9 cards).

Went out to the park by the pull ups bars and made 3 piles of 3 cards each.

I did a circuit of
L/R 1 swing, 1snatch, 1windmill, 1squat thrust (switch back to L side)
2 swings, 2 snatches, 2 windmills, 2 squat thrusts

Then pile 1 of cards
1 of each, switching hands on the bars while hanging,
regular pull up, wide, close in, underhand, mountain
cliber left and right
5 wide pull ups
20 leg raises

Repeat Circuit

Pile 2 of cards
3 negative 1 arm push ups
12 spider man push ups
(i cant remember this card)

Repeat Circuit

Pile 3 of cards
20 jumping lunges
5R/L jump and sticks ( jump with both feet in air, land on one foot firmly and hold 5 sec- these suck)
20 crossovers (lay on back, feet 8 in off ground and cross one leg over other, everyone other rep counts as 1)

Hiatus and Lactic Acid

I haven't worked out since Monday. I have literally been almost too sore to move since doing that FitDeck workout. Today I am getting back on it with either SiM or some light circuiting. I'll workout today, tomorrow and Sunday so I can still get in my 4 days this week. Tomorrow I will most likely do the FitDeck workout again.

I am getting an olympic bar and plates for Xmas and I am EXCITED! I can't wait to get on heavy deadlifts and heavy squats and some bench pressing. I am also going to play around with learning some of the other olympic lifts like cleans, jerks, etc. Also, I am planning on really trying to get down the bent press using a bar instead of a bell. It's gonna be exciting.

So Sore

I am so sore from that damn Navy Seal fit deck I did not work out yesterday and I PROBABLY won't be working out today either- good lord!

My arms, shoulders, back, abs and sides are wrecked and full of lactic acid. I need to do something to get my blood flowing but nothing heavy or too strenous. I need to recover. WOW! Best $12+ shipping I have ever spent!

Hit the (fit)deck!

So I got home from a shitty shitty day and what was waiting for me but my Navy Seal FitDeck. For those not familiar with FitDeck and their products- http://fitdeck.com/catalog.php

Now the Navy Seal is a booster deck that is supposed to be used in with their larger body weight deck. I don't need all that. I wanted the Navy Seal deck b/c

1. It says it's a Navy Seal workout and those guys are monsters
2. The product description read "Designed for highly-motivated intermediate to advanced users. Contains illustrations for over 20 challenging Navy SEAL-inspired exercises. Buy FitDeck Bodyweight for more middle & lower body exercises. Pull up bar required. (includes plastic cardholder)"- I like to think of myself as being 'highly-motivated'.
3. It sounded hard.

Well folks- it was hard. I am not a Navy Seal. Apparently Navy Seals do LOTS and LOTS of pull ups of all kinds. When I did hit a push up card it was amazing. I have never been more happy to do all sorts of complicated push ups in my life.

That being said, I chose the beginner rep range on all the excercises, even the ones I was comfortable with. For the first 3-4 pull up excercises, I hit the rep range fine. After that it got ugly. When it called for 6 I would have to give it 3, wait 5 seconds, do 2 more, wait 5 seconds do 1 more, wait 5 seconds, and do the last. When it called for 4 I'd have to do 2-3 and bang out the rest, usually, in singles or maybe if I was lucky, doubles.

It was hard. I am seriously sore. It was awesome. I would recommend buying it. I am going to do it twice a week and see how long it takes to break my hymen in.

After the FitDeck, I was still really bummed, which was suprising considering how awesome the workout was. So I went inside and killed Nazi's on my xbox360- that didn't help. So I walked to the grocery stora and picked up our Christmas tree and carried it home. I walked it back in an overhead rack walk, switching arms about every 1/2 block to full block depending. From the store back to the house is about .70 miles. I'll take it. I'm not sure how heavy the tree was. I dont think it weighed more than my 24KG bell but I'm not sure. Either way it made me feel manly but alas did not break me from my funk.

The Dogs

Just a lil smothin-somethin

Last nite to keep it going, I did some snatches with the 20KG. On the advice of the illustrious Jen B, I worked on my form, trying to keep everything tight and strong at the top of the snatch where the lock out is. It'sn hard for me to do that and still keep a rythm so I worked on that pretty hard. Did 50 snatches. Seemed to get it right. It felt slower and somewhat awkward BUT strange enough, while keeping all tension at the top, the next rep was easier, which is strange considering the tension at the top, to me, seems like it doesnt translate into snapping at the bottom of the next rep..
Whatever, who cares. It seems to be working so I'll take it. Anything that helps me with my snatches is awesome. Now I just have to work on finding a rythm with this newly tweaked form.

Friday, quick decisions....

I did 5 rounds of this...




I was a little surprised when I watched the video becuase I thought while I was doing the swings kind of slow but watching the video, I'd say I'm moving at a good pace. I didn't start feeling this until the 4th round. I was taking 60 second breaks between rounds. Except the 4th and 5th. I probablly took about 120 seconds on that one. I REALLY tried to focus on my form, especially on the squats.

Very short workout. Took 15 min. Really wanted to work on my form after I got some critique from my friend and newly minted RKC, Jenn B.

With the 24KG I did 2 rounds of
10 KB racked squats R/L
10 KB squat thrusters R/L
2 C&P R/L
10 side bends R/L

On the squats i really tried to focus on keeping my core as tight as possible and on pulling lat down hard into my body. On the cleans I tried to focus on getting my butt down low on the starting position and on keeping everything really tight at the top.

It wasnt a lot but focusing on form that much made it hard. My core was angry when I was done and I felt tired when I was done.

Complex-ity

Did a new deal today, got creative.

W/ two 20KG bells, a progressive complex for 5 rounds
snatch
snatch-to-squat
snatch-to-squat w/ thruster
+ 4 more squat-thrusters

Then 5 rounds of
5 reps of KB burpee to between the leg dealift (sumo stance) to double row

Finish with abs- all the way through without stopping-
20 leg raises
30 sec plank
3 sets 10-2 descending twists (a-la-Newport)
30 sec plank
15R/15L single lef raises (a-la-Newport)
30 sec plank

I am sore from this. It was a good workout. That progressive complex was fun.

Legs

Sunday morning I did a heavy leg day/

4 rounds of each exercise straight through, one after the other- not circuited.

R1
10 KB Burpees to DL- two 24KG's

R2
5-7 behind the back squat- 24KG

R3
Assorted swings w/. 24KG- L/slinghsot/R/slingshot, 2H, double-bell,

R4
rep range of 3 long cycle cleans to squats- two 24KG's

I taped me doing this one to check my form on the long cycle clean and on the squat. I think it is looking pretty good. Double squats with the two 24KG's is hard for me and my chicken legs, hence the 3 rep range. If you look you can see me really working to get back up from that squat and not have my spine explode. I like it.

Late in the Day

I got home last nite and wasnt going to work out. Met wife for early dinner after work. Was exhausted. Went home, full, and sat down in the chair to relax before we went out. I was depressed...
At 7:30 I went to the porch and grabbed a 24KG bell.

I did 10 rounds of swings with a round of side bends after the 5th round and the 10th round. I felt 90% better when I was done. Magic. Fuck prozac and zoloft- I've got bells.

I am working on my swings again b/c, as I mentioned a few weeks ago, I've let them fall off. I am back on them.

I was going to do SiM again today but instead I think I am going to do a heavy leg workout with some core finishers. Wont get to it until later but that's ok- as long as it gets done.

SiM

Did Strength in Motion yesterday. Stepped it up. Only took 30sec breaks on rounds 1 and 3. Had to do 60sec on round 2. Thats the harder round for me.

My numbers were better than they have been also. All in all it was a great workout. Yay.

Fear and (Self)Loathing

Took yesterday off. Today is SiM day- I am both looking forward to it and dreading it. Part of the dread comes from the clock- I really don't like working out to a clock BUT it's good for me and it's a great workout so I need to learn to get over it.

Its cold.

No Strength in Motion. I got home late. I was depressed. It was cold as fuck.

I'm from Houston, TX- "cold as fuck" is a technical term that refers to temperatures below 50F. I know a lot of yall are Yankee-assholes and that's ok. The war's been over for a long time and we can be friends. But please understand, while I know it gets to like minus-300 degrees where you're from and sub-50F is tennis & crumpet weather- I, however, live in a fucking swamp 50 miles from the Gulf of Mexico! GULF OF MEXICO. It's a GULF... Furthermore, to explicate further this whole 'swamp aesthetic' for those of you unfamiliar with this ecosystem- swamps are NOT supposed to get that cold. Resultantly, I don't take to well to the cold and last nite it was fucking cold. 'Nuff said.

Due to my disapproval of mother nature's newest curve ball, I was going to work out inside but when I got home I just couldn't do it. I grabbed two 20KG bells and walked the 100yards or so to the BBall court to get serious.

I did 4 laps around the court to warm up then a 5x5 workout of

A1
Double snatch-to-double squat

A2
see-saw press

Finish with modified ab rounds from AoS Newport straight through, no break-
plank 30 sec
16R/L Single leg raises
plank 30 sec
descending twists 10-2 for 3 rounds straight
30 sec plank

100 yard farmer's carry back to the porch.

While it wasn't SiM, this workout was the real deal. I REALLY recommend that double-snatch-to-double-squat. It's the real motherfuckin deal.

Recap

Thanksgiving Day I did 4 rounds of-
5 full body attack(20KG)
50 yard farmers carry
5 double snatch-to-double squat (20KG)
50 yard farmers carry

finished with 3 min of TGU singles

Friday I did 5 rounds of w/ 20KG
10 double swings
8R/8L bottoms-up swings
8 double dead-cleans
5R/5L RR's w/ a push up between each rep

100yard farmer carry for finisher/cool down.

I was so sore from Th & Fri I didn't work out the rest of the weekend. I was going to but my body wasnt ready. I did mow the lawn Sunday with my push mower and even that got my forearms and shoulders really tight and burning and angry.

Today will be a Strength in Motion Day

Simple and Old School

4 rounds of of a 4 exercise circuit with the 24KG

1H swings R/L
C&P R/L
Windmills R/L
Squats

Today I will do Strength in Motion again. Yesterday I was still recovering from doing it Saturday. That workout is serious and it will be a while before I can even think of doing it back to back during the week- BUT I really am loving it. If you've been thinking about getting it, I highly recommend it. Click on the AOS affiliate links on my blog (they are on the right side of the page) and that will take you to the AoS store.

I'm "the old guy"...

Did Strength in Motion for the second time this week. Took Th and Fr off to recover. Did SiM this afternoon and then went paintballing for my bday (which isnt until next week).

It was a lot of fun but I'm feeling it now after having run around through the woods for about 4 hours after working out. Also had a bunch of 10-15 year old kids talk shit to me all day about being old... the good thing about being old though is old man muscles and coordination... I am faster and stronger which means I can run you down and shoot you.

Many a pre-pubescent little shit felt the wrath of my age today.

Either way, workout good. Paintball good. Good day.

Man vs Tire

It's important when working witha large tire by ones self to leave enuff in the tank to get that fucker back to its home... i forgot that lesson today. Ha ha ha ha on me. I almost had to ask my hippy nieghbors to help me out but I summoned from teh iner depths and found the will to get it from the park back up the driveway to my fence.

Today, using the 24KG, I did 5 rounds of

10 swings
jog 35 yards
1 tire flip/jump in-out
jog 35 yards
4R/4L Windmills
jog 35 yards
1 tire flip/ jump in-out
jog 35 yards back to start

recover 60-90 seconds.

Round 4 and 5 were challenging, I have to say. I am really getting back on my schedule here so I'm having to re-break in my body to awesomeness.

Short and Sweet

Quick and fast I did 2 sets, 3 rounds of each set.

Set A
3x full body attack w/ two 24KG
3R/3L get-up sit ups w/ 20KG (i used to be good at these and I;m not anymore, I've got to work on this)

Set B
10 swings w/ 24KG
5R/5L RR w/ 24Kgs

Then I took dogs on a 1 mile run.

Felt good. I am super sore from SiM workout on Monday. I might do SiM again today or I might do a leg day, havent made up my mind yet.

AoS Kicks My Ass Again.

So I bought Strength in Motion from AoS today. I printed it out, put it in a little binder. I studied it, started drooling and couldn't wait to get home.

I just got finished with it and it is AWESOME! It's like ETK but WAY better with more variety, more total body effect and has a better capacity for scaling it to your abilities.

Best $29 I've spent for a while. + I really like how it is can integrate with other things I like to do- it tells you up front NOT to do the whole thing through in 6 months. This is gonna be a FUN experiment/journey.

LOSER

thats me. havent worked out since my last blog post on wed. i did however drink A LOT. sooo... no more drinking for a bit. and to motivate my life, im buying AoS Strength in Motion in today and starting on it.

Gotta get on it and stop sucking.

Limited range of motion workout

My ribs are fucking SORE right now. So today I took it simple with what didn't hurt to do.
5 sets w/ 24KG of-
10 swings
5R/5L RR

5 sets w/ 24KG of-
10 swings
5 push on bell handles (sets 4 and 5 were 10 push ups)


Now a few things. A few months ago when I was doing swings my back started hurting so I stopped doing them assuming my form was off. I recently had my form checked- it's AOK. What happened was that I let my swing work go down in frequency adn my muscles got weaker. It was muscle fatigue, not injury. So I am working it back up to where it should be. Small #ers, focusing hard on form. While it wasn't a bunch, about 1/3 of what I used to do, I really felt it today in my lower abs, my ass and my thighs. I MISSED THE SWINGS. They are back.

More Tattoos

I got my ribs worked on yesterday- that's 2 days ina row getting tattooed on (different spots). The back to back move was a bad idea. It kicked my ass up between my shoulders. It was the first time in 11 years of getting tattooed where I couldn't finish a sitting. We were going to finish it but an 1:20 into it I tapped out. I couldn't keep sitting. It hurt so fucking bad. I was high from the pain so regardless to say, no workout yesterday.

I will be working out today, just not sure what I'm going to be doing. My ribs are SUPER tender and I'm not sure what my range of motion is going to look like. I figure push ups and pull ups are doable and so is sprinting. I'll do some more weight on my legs but no pressing b/c my forearm is still healing and isn't ready for a bell to be resting on it yet.

On a side note...



"By a lonely prison wall,
I heard a young man calling
Nothing matters, Mary, when you're free
Against the famine and the Crown,
I rebelled, they cut me down.
Now you must raise our child with dignity.

Low lie the fields of Athenry
Where once we watched the small free birds fly
Our love was on the wing, we had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely 'round the fields of Athenry."

Believe that shit- and I'm not even Irish.

Quick, Heavy, Hard

Got tattooed yesterday. Could do anything overhead b/c of that so I did my legs. Quick and heavy and it was hard.

Alternating between the two for 5 rounds-
Holding two 24KG bells, 10 walking lunges
10 KB burpees to dead lifts.

By time it was done my legs were dead and my butt was cramping. The burpees were good but those walking lunges were pretty much at my max weight. They were hard. Walking today is difficult.

Sunday Funday

Today it was time to break my hymen for the week.

Two 24KG KBs and one 550lb tire.

Warm Up
1/2 mile jog, stretching

Main Circuit 1 for 3 rounds
Super makers x3 (double C&P, into KB burpee a top of burpee RR l/r+ 5 push ups on bell handles)
3 tire flips w/ jumps. 90 sec rest, repeat for 3 rounds.

Cool Down
3 rounds fig8 to hold w/ 24KG x 10 reps
overhead rack walk bells back to porch. roll tire back to driveway. (thats a serious cool down).

This workout was hard as fuck. Period. Doing it with double 24's made it that way. Using 20KG's I could have eaten this for breakfast. Instead, with the extra weight, on the second round I had to break up the C&P from the rest of the drill b/c I was having a hard time getting the C&P done with all other parts of drill. On the 3rd round I changed the order and did the C&P at the beginning of the complex instead of the end and that made the difference so I could complete the 3rd round as I planned.

If you're bored I suggest you try this. Go heavy. I will get some video of me doing it up tomorrow or Tuesday b/c I'm going to have Jonathan do this drill with me again tomorrow afternoon.

Blood on the streets...

Tuesday was off. I haven't been running much lately and running Sunday and Monday got me good.

Yesterday Jonathan came over and we got serious on our legs and cardio.

Round 1-
10 swings w/ 24KG
35 yrd jog to fence, 50 yrd sprint to tire
1 tire flip
10 seconds rest, repeat x3

Active rest 1 min jog
10 jumping lunges with 24KG (5 per side)
10 shuffle squats
10 sec rest, repeat x3

Active rest 1 min jog
Left side Snatch, 5 Windmills, 10 fig8-to-holds ending on Right Side, repeat on right side
repeat set x2

That last set was hard. We wanted 3 rounds but for me with the 24KG, it wasn't happening. The tire flipping and sprinting felt GOOD. I think from here on out for a while every Wed will involve some tire flipping and sprinting.

Breaking barriers

Yesterday took it "light". Did 3 rounds of this circuit with 1 24KG KB. Took 90 sec break between circuits.

5R/5L swings
5R/5L C&P
10 front squats
5R/5L windmills

Then I did 2 laps at the park. 1st lap had 4 stops where I did leg raises, planks, single leg raises, and descending twist-crunches (all from Newport). Second lap was all go-go-go-go fast to wrap it up.

The amazing news is that I got all 3 rounds of the C&P with the 24KG with no problem. PROGRESS! I was stuck on 3 reps (a shitty 3 reps at that) for ever. Recently I started doing heavy, double 24KG, C&P's for 3 reps and apparrently that was the trick.

I am sore. Sprints and bodyweight today.

Back from the Dead

So after the bachelor party I got sick sick. NOLA gave me the plague. I stayed on the couch all day Monday, got up Tuesday to drive to San Antonio, got there, stayed on my friends couch all day Tuesday and Weds, drinking theraflu and sleeping. Wed nite went to the real estate conference thing and did that until Friday morning.
Friday morning left SA for Austin to meet up with my wife and friends for our friend's wedding rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. Skipped out on Halloween madness and passed out at 10PM- still recovering from being sick. Saturday was the wedding. Yay. Sunday we hung around Austin then drove home and hung out at home in the evening then I passed the fuck out.

Up until yesterday evening, I have basically been gone from home since Oct 24th. And because I got tattooed before I left and then got sick in the middle, I haven't done shit or worked out since. It drove me CRAZY. I am talking completely mental. All kinds of neurotic thoughts- "I'm lazy" "I'm fat" "I'm getting fat" "I'm loosing all my strength" "I hate me"- it was relentless. And I was loosing my mind.

Last nite the I didn't think I was ready yet to really work out b/c of being sick so I ran with the wife. Ran a little over a mile, 1/2 decent pace, 1/2 all out and then ended the last 1/4+ of the mile with all-out-max-intensity interval sprints.

Once I got inside, took a shower and changed clothes I felt amazing. Night and day. My attitude totally changed. I am officially a workout junkie. When I cant do it- I literally go through withdrawals and become not-fun.

Today is the big day back. B/c I'm still not feeling 100%, I'm going to do some single 24KG bell work (C&P, squats, snatches), some more running and sprinting, and some kind of core work, maybe RR's, maybe the Newport protocol, or maybe some hanging ab work.

I get tattooed again tomorrow but I wont be taking Wed off. If nothing else I will be sprinting- fuck, I might even do some sprints after I get tattooed. I am back and I am serious.

Wrap up

Thursday was still sore from tattoo. Did descnding pull up ladders 10-1. Then varying sets of 30 pushups (5) + 1 set of 15 diamond push ups.

Friday left for NOLA. Didnt work out in NOLA. Did the bachelor party thing for my friend Jake. Got home last night. Feel wrecked and fat and lazy. Going to work out today like a beast. Lost my voice. Damage report- minimal.

Off day- sort of..

Yesterday was an off day but I got a new tattoo started on my ribs. 2hrs worth of outlining and I am sore as shit today from tensing up the whole time so maybe I'll count that as an isometric workout? Who knows..





New rib tattoo in progress:


It hurt like hell. My ribs were sort of the final frontier of tattooing for me; the last spot I was nervous about- and for good reason. 2 hours of awesome. It's good for me though. Helps me not be so angry and depressed. 2 hours of that and you cant nor do you want to think about anything else. Like flipping tires and doing sprints. I get it worked on again on Nov 4th. Excited and not excited at the same time.

Regardless, no working out today. My side is VERY angry at me and tender. Tomorrow I'll get back on it though.

2nd time is not so charming at all...

WOW.

For some reason, the second time I do a hard or heavy workout- it's harder. I'm sure it's all in my head but boy- is it in there.

I did the heavy upper body day again with the two 24KG bells.

A1, double C&P ladders 5x -1-2-3
A2, renegade rows

3x3 R/L double windmills.

The presses were harder. I did more push pressing yesterday that the last time. Mostly on the 3rd run, rung 1 and sometimes rung 2 were good, strict presses but almost every rung 3 involved some push pressing.

I did it faster yesterday. Did the whole thing in just under 30 min. Took 2 min break between full sets of A1 & A2. Took about 5-15 sec break between rungs on the ladders (rung 1 getting shorter breaks, rung 2 and 3 getting longer breaks).

Lifting heavy is hard and it is harder in a different way. It doesnt zap you the same way as doing Newport of the Magic 50. In the middle, like on round 3 of the A1/A2 protocol, I am fucking AMPED. I am ready to go, I want to tackle the bells and make it my bitch. By round 5 I feel like standing up is hard and my body feels swollen and puffed up, like my shoulders are going to tear out of my skin. I literally have to focus all of my energy and thought process on cleaning those 2 bells before I press them.

I am excited about this new protocol and excited to see where it takes me. B/c its strength building progress will be slow but when it comes I expect to make some serious gains as a 152lb man.

Sunday

Late in updating but I got it together Sunday morning and did a heavy leg workout when I really didnt want to.

4 rounds

double 20KG swings: 10 *1st round was 10R/L single swings w/ 24KG*
double 20KG squats: 5-6
double 24KG KB burpee-to-deadlift: 10
double 24KG cleans- 5

Put the hurt on me.

This afternoon is A1/A2 heavy push & pull as suggested by Mr. Diluglio.

Just me and Gravity

Today was "light day"- I am not good at that concept. The workout I did is approved by armies across the world over- all body weight. I did it alternating push and pull both ways.

Round 1
Reg pushups- 30
Hanging Leg raises- 5
Diamond Push Ups- 15
Hanging side raises- 5R/5L
Wide Push ups- 30
Hanging Leg raises-5
Elevated push ups- 25
Hanging side raises- 5R/5L
Walking push up on KB-a-la-AoS-Newport- 5 per side
Hanging Leg raises- 5
Full body ballistic clapping push ups a-la-Mr.-Mattioni-5
Hanging side raises 5R/5L

Round 2
Reg pull up OH- 5
1 min leg raises
Pull up hands touching- 5
1 min 10-2 twists a-la-AoS-Newport
Reg pull up UH- 5
30secR/30secL Single leg raises-1-leg-off-ground-a-la-AoS-Newport
Ugliest corb-cob-pull-ups-ever- 3
Front, R, & L planks, 30 sec a side, non-stop all the way through

After that I was compeltely toast. Still am. My body is PISSED and SUPER tight. I love it.

Anthony D wrecks me

So I took Anthony D's advice and did the following yesterday as my heavy workout using two 24KG bells

alternating between A1 & A2 for 5x5
A1- double C&P
A2- RR's
3x3 barbell windmills.

He said instead of double C&P i might want to do 3-5 1x2x3 ladders. I read that wrong and did 5 1x2x3 ladders w/ both 24KGs. Good news is I did it! Rungs 2 & 3 on ladders 4 and 5 were push presses, strict presses.
The renegade rows felt awesome. I didn't have a barbell so I did double windmills with the 24KGs.

This workout took me about 34 min and it destroyed me. I am so sore today. Tommorrow I wont be able to move. But I'm stoked. While those #ers aren't amazing, thats still 106lbs total that I am moving over my head. That is approx 68% of my bodyweight.

getting back on track, getting heavy, and getting confused...

so i am on this heavy kick right now- mostly going on a 5x5 protocol. im using the 28KG bell i have for most stuff but for military presses im either using two 20KG's for a total of 88lbs or 1 24KG which is MUCH harder on my right side, cant get more than 3-4 reps at a time and after 2-3 sets i start to fail on the left.
a few questions-
1. u think its better to go two 20KG instead of 1 24KG? or should i mis it up?
2. im taking more time in between sets. since its heavier work, i shouldnt beat myself up and call myself a little whiner b/c of it, right? i do need longer breaks and im not just making excuses?
3. how many days should i do heavy bells without doing damage? i know there's some individuality to that answer but as a general protocol? im back on 4-5 days a week on so 2 days a week heavy? or if im going to go heavy do i need to just go 4 days on and 3 days off? im such a complusive freak in my head i can see me thinking that after that 4th day, i'd need one more day in of body weight and sprints or sprints and the tire or something... i know, i need help.
as always yall, i appreciate the help in advance.
as a note- tonite i did
5x5 L/R cleans w/ 28KG
5x3 L/R windmills w/ 28KG (heavy windmills are serious, no way ive got 5x5 with that sucker yet)
5 sets of double MP w/ 20 KG varying #ers
set 1= 8, set 2= 6, set 3=5, set 4=6, set 5=6
coll down round 2x5 L/R bottoms up swing and rack walk back the 28KG about 35 yards to the porch.

Starting Fresh

So my schedule got all fucked up 2 weeks ago and remained that way until today. What happened was I ended up working out really hard on a Sunday b/c Monday of that week didnt happen and I felt lazy. Well, I was so sore I wound up taking the next day off which was another Monday- that has totally screwed me up.

I only worked out 2 days last week. They were both heavy days (heavy for me) but still, 2 days is inexcusable. Yesterday I purposely did all I could not to work out and it killed me. I felt so lazy and useless BUT I managed not to give in to the compulsion so today it will be WWIII between me & me. Monday through Thursday this week and Saturday. Back to normal- alternating between heavy bells and high rep body weight.

41% Workout

Wed I did a heavy circuit using the 28KG bell- thats 62lbs. That thing is heavy for me as it's about 41% of my bodyweight.

I was going for 5 rounds of the following but I only got 4- my body was starting to say no more, especially my back. Today I am already getting tight and sore. I did-

10 front squats
5 push presses L/R
5 static rows L/R
5 1-legged dead lifts L/R

That doesnt look like much when I write it out but 4 rounds of that with that weight was enough to put me out. I think I'm going to keep working with that weight at least 2 days a week for now. I want to get more comfortable with it. Some parts of my body can handle it no problem but other parts really struggle with it- my hands, my wrists, and my grip are probably the most notable. My shoulders are right behind that trio. I want to be a monster even though I weight 152lbs.

Heavier

Every inch of my body didnt want to work out before I left work for the afternoon. I got home and went on autopilot. I let out the dogs, changed clothes, grabbed my headphones, let the dogs back in, and went out to hte porch and picked up the bells and moved them to the park.

I wanted to go heavy. From reading the AoS forum yesterday, I was inspired to warm up and stretch- which I usually dont do- I know, I'm bad.

I did 5x5 of heavy, double cleans using the 24Kgs bells (this sucked)

Then I did heavy floor press w/ the 28KG for 4 sets of 1-3 ladders L/R. In between sets I worked in ad rounds from AoS Newport. On the 4th set of the floor press I did 6 reps straight through instead of the ladders.

Then I did 3x3 L/R of double windmills using the 24Kgs. These were hard. I didn't set the bells down between switching sides. It got old. Talk about total body tension.

Then I was done. I wanted more but I didn't have it. To be honest, I'm suprised I got that out of my body.

No really..

I am really really really sore from the RR's yesterday and the hanging ab work Saturday. The tire probably contributed as did the 175 yards of kimodo walks.

Seriously, really really really sore.

Sunday morning commin' down

Friday nite I did some random pull up sets with reps of 5, doing regular pull ups and close grip pull ups and 2&2's- probably did 10-12 sets total while I was fucking around in the kitchen. Then I broke up a fist fight between some friends at the house. One them is 6'1" and 280lbs. I threw him by his throat and it worked. Big ups to kettlebells and heavy tire flipping. Even through his drunken belligerent haze, he was surprised at that one.

Saturday I did some random hanging ab work. Leg raises, side raises, etc. 5-8 sets of each, reps of 4-5. I also did some random push ups, random dead-snatches w/ the 16KG, we took the dogs on a 2 mile walk and jogged maybe 1/2 a mile with them. Then we made dinner and went on a bike ride. We probably rode 4-6 miles, not too far but at a brisk pace. I love my bike. I'll post a picture of my rock machine at some point so you can all oogle it from afar.

Made plans to work out this morning at 8AM. I did. I usually don't perform too well in the AM but today was ok despite having gone to bed at 1:30 last nite. We warmed up with a briks 1/3 mile jog and then we did a small circuit for 5 rounds of:

RR 5 per side w/ the 24KG
35 yards kimodo walks
3 550lb tire flips +jump-thru's
sprint 35 yards back.

My friend would go then I would go.

After the 5th set we alternated flipping tire back to the road for 4 more flips each, total.

Those RR's smoked my already-sore abdomen. My entire trunk is pissed but the workout felt great and the day is just beginning.

getting fed..

i did a workout today tht killed me. 4 exercises, 4 rounds, not setting KB down between excercises or side per round using 24KG.

it went

L
5 swings
5 snatches
5 windmills
5 thrusters (negative pres, squat, push press)

R
repeat

1-2 min rest between rounds

this was hard. the thrusters CF style w/ the 24KG was too much weight for me. i only got 3 a side each round and those 3 were fucking hard as hell. i know i could have destroyed this workout with the 20KG but w/ the 24KG it fed me my lunch. took about 24 min give or take.

im gonna do something heavy and serious on saturday.

Heavy 5x5 Complex

Left the office Sunday night/Monday morning at 3:30. Went to bed at 4am. Woke up @ 8.. Didn't work out Monday b/c Monday stayed at office all way through until 4AM this morning. Went home, died. Got up, came to work. Left at 3:30 to go home and work out.

I did the following w/ two 20KG bells

5 double snatches, 15 yard rack walk, 5 see saw press (10 reps) 15 yard rack walk

rest 2 min, repeat for 5 sets.

Then ran 65yrd sprints.

The see saw presses killed me b/c my upper chest is still sore from the Sunday push up marathon. Thius workout was hard on no sleep.

I am back at office now and hoping to leave before midnite. Tomorrow is D-Day. Fuck my life.

Office Workout

In an effort to fight off my nomination as the king of loser-ville I went ahead and worked out at the office. I'm sitll here and now sweating my ass off.

I did some body weight drills and used 1/2 of a concrete cinder block for some of them and as a modified weight in other places.

3 rounds triple crush squats rep range of 10

6 rounds of walking push ups using cinder block isntead of bell (harder w/ cinder block) rep range of 10-15 (wasnt really counting just going until my body started quitting)

4 rounds ballistic push ups a-la-Ross-Enammit (exploding back and forth with one hand on ground and one on block)

2 rounds of 20 shuffle squats

1 round 65 walking lunges

Newport Ab routine + 3 min round of front, right, left side planks 1min each side, no breaks.

I'm a loser

Worked out again Thursday. Did 3 ladders, w/ 3 rungs + ab routine from Newport. Haven't done anything else so only 2 days on this week.

At office now, might do an office workout with push ups and triple crush squats using cinderblocks we have that support some desks. But again I might not.

Why, b/c I'm a loser- L.O.S.E.R.- loser.

PR Monday

I got serious on ROP today. I still only did 3 rung ladders but I did 5 of them! SUCK IT! I dont know why I just felt amped and at the 3rd ladder I just told myself I was going to keep going and that I was going to get 5 of them - and i did, no problem. I will do that again for my other 2 ROP days this week and next week I might try to get 3 ladders with 4 rungs. Oh man, this was a major break through. I can FEEL the 5x5 comming on- maybe not next month or even then month after that BUT I really think this broke some platuea thats been owning me for 2 months.

I also did 40 snatches doing reps of on each hand. I was going for 70 but I got a gnarly tear on my right hand so I stopped.

Then last nite I went with some friends and did a 3hr bike ride around the city.

ps: I know I was doing those MP's correctly b/c my whole body is sore. My legs are wrecked from locking my knees in.

Saturday

Mowed the yard with the push mower. Got my shoulders nice and tired. Then later in the afternoon I did the hotel workout again but this time at the park- I really liked it so I repeated it.

Ab rounds from AoS Newport with pushups in between. 30 reps each except for diamond and walking. Diamond I did 15 reps and walking pushups on the bell a-la-Newport I did for 1 min.

Then did some 2&2 pull ups a-la-p90X and then did snatches with the 24KG. Did a total of 70. BUT, these were the best they have ever been for me. I did reps of 5 per side but I destroyed them. My grip was great, my lungs felt great, my form felt great- it was a massive personal victory that I am, in all honesty, still high from. Fuck a 24KG snatch.

Hurricane madness is over (although most of inner city is still without power blah blah blah) so it's back to a regular workout schedule with ROP pressing w/ the 24KG today. I will also be doing more snatches to see if I can keep Saturday's momentum alive.

Wrecked!

Workout Monday at the hotel killed me. Saxon bends killed me. I took Tues off. Tried to workout Wed and couldn't- my core muscles wouldnt work. So I rode my bike. Yesteraday- Thursday, I didnt do anything either. Today maybe something will happen but probably not. I'll do something Sat, take Sun off, and get back on regular, no Hurricane madness, workout schedule next Monday.

The Anti-Gym Rat Gym Workout

Got power restored today. Yes.

At the hotel gym Monday evening I got serious and did this-

Ab rounds from AoS Newport with push ups in between (elbows-to-sides, diamond, regular, wide grip, and elevated rep range of 25-30 except diamond w/ rep range of 15)

Then did 3 rounds alternating triple crush with a squat (squat, uncurl, curl, stand, press, behind head tricep extension, back up and to chest =1) w/a 45lb dumbbell and saxon bends 5 per side with 2 10lb dumbbells.

This workout was awesome. I am still sore from it. People looked at me like I was a total mutant.

First day back above the water...

we are a alive. our house is fine. our cars are fine. houston, however, is FUCKED. they are saying no power for up to 2 weeks. 90% of the city is without power. since we live in the middle of town, we should be ok and get it sooner but you never know.

im holed up in a hotel w/ power, AC, internet, cable etc- very exciting to be living in 1st world conditions again.

havent slept in 2 days b/c of storm and then b/c it was hot as fuck in my house. did a workout today- snatches with 24KG for a total of 75 reps. 2 sets of 20 shuffle squats, 2 rounds of 24KG TGU's, 5 per side. that was about it and all i had to give. im still pretty out of it.

the most surreal thing is driving through the 3rd largest city in American at night with NO POWER anywhere- very post-apocalyptic. there's a 9PM curfew for the whole city so i got to experience very little of it. but what i did experience was just wierd.

thanks for all the well-wishes. we made it.

Th and Today

Last nite I did yoga for hte first time. It was ok. Didn't hate it, didn't love it either. Was a short 20min beginner workout. Heh. Then went on a good long bike ride. Got chased at the end around 1am by a fucking huge pitbull for like 2 blocks- awesome.

Today, the day the hurricane is suposed to hit, I had to help my friend move into his new apartment. He was scheduled to move tomorrow morning but Ike will be here in full force by then so we got to it this morning at 8am. We moved him for 7 hours. Resultingly, I will not be working out today as I already got my workout in. This will be my last post before the big plunge. We should be ok.

I wanted to also thank everyone who sent me an email either offering us a place to come and stay to escape the storm or just to check on us. Yall are great, really. Thanks.

Soundtracks

So I've been listening to a lot of Wisdom in Chains lately-
1: b/c I'm feeling it right now
&
2: they are one of the HC bands around that I can still believe in, in the sense that I think they mean what they say and are for real.

I thought I'd share some of their more memorable shit with yall (it's not nice)-

Dragging Me Down
"I try not to complain but you know me better than that. Everyday gets lost inside of the last. My negativity gets the best of me. This place has lost its purity. I'm empty and I'm drowning. Can't find my way out and don't know when I fell in. This world is like the weight that's dragging me down. Dragging my soul right down to hell. I'm falling I keep falling, Can't stop until I hit This world is like the weight that's dragging me down. Dragging my soul right down to hell. I'm falling, I keep falling. I hope I smash in the fucking ground. There's no escaping, there's no running away. It kills a piece of your soul more and more everyday. I need forgiveness even though I never forgave. I pray and pray it's not too late to pray"

Out of Season
"I saw my mother so I asked her, "What's the end for your fuckin' bastard?" I lost it long ago and that's what I am. No happy ever after. I'm gonna hang from a fuckin' rafter and swing to the beat of my cold dead heart. Oh yea. What became of your only daughter? What became of all your sons? You let them leave without a reason. And now you're left with nothing but the same of an empty home. The tree of love is out season. I saw my brother so I asked him, "Do you think about the past and does it keep you up at night like you're all alone?" He said, "Man, I shed some tears and all I got was wasted years so fuck the world and all the bullshit that's in it." I try not think about it cause it only brings me down but on a day like this it's the only thing on my mind. I don't want sympathy. I don't you to agree. I just wanna smash the system that fucked it up for me"

and arguably, depending on the day, my all time favorite-

Too Far Gone
"Some people trade life for the bottom of a whiskey bottle. Too far gone, can't get it back now. Some people love the pills. They'll eat an entire bottle. If that don't work, they'll cut their wrists off. Some people love whores. They'll spend every fucking dollar. Go home empty,not an ounce of self-respect. Happiness must be a dream. I know it ain't material. I've seen men search the world but die alone in the end. So fucking alone. No woman, no wine, no pills can cure this fucking disease. It's in my brain. No matter what I do, I can't get it out my head. Years of memories flood my brain. I just wanna sever these fucking veins so I can sleep forever never coming back no more. Too far gone. Too far gone. Too far gone. Too far gone can't get it back"

And an honorable mention to

Vigilante Saint
"Jimmy wanted to an alter boy. He couldn't wait to serve the Lord. But he was tricked into suckin a dick and sentenced to Hell if he ever told. Now Jimmy don't trust nobody. He was shown that the world is cold. He was wronged gotta make it right. The vigilante saint's on a mission tonight. Jimmy got a pistol to spread some justice. He's gotta kill this bastard, Vigilante Justice. Go Jimmy, as fast as you can and send this motherfucker to the Promised Land. He was wronged, gotta make it right. His God's gonna get a body tonight. Jimmy got a pistol to spread some justice. He's gonna kill this bastard, vigilante justice. Go Jimmy go with a gun in your hand, make sure this motherfucker never does it again. Go Jimmy go as fast as you can and don't stop killin 'til the Promised Land. Jimmy got a pistol to spread some justice, he's gotta kill this bastard, Vigilante Justice."

Believe that shit.

Wed/TH

Didn't work out yesterday, was sore enough from Tuesday's madness to take the day off. Woke up this morning though and my legs are now so sore I can barely walk.

Awesome.

I'll do something today but not sure what yet.

Apparently there is now a giant hurricane that is supposed hit my front door so hopefully my tire doesnt get picked up and blown through my house.

"Permanence"- Track 4

I got serious today on my own- i got home @ 8 and before I got home I really was so exhausted emotionally and mentally I didnt want to do it.

I listed to some This Is Hell on the way home and got AMPED.

I wound up doing 4 rounds of a circuit that kicked my ass. It went like this

24KG RR's 5 per side
20 shuffle squats
35 yrd kimodo walks
35 yard walking lunges
front, left, and ride side planks 30 sec a side

1.5 min active rest fast paced walking.

Took me about 4-5 min to complete each circuit. The planks too 1.5 min so I'm ok with those times. The 35 yrds of kimodo walks are the real deal son! + my legs are toast and so is more core/trunk.

The title of this entry is what got me amped- it's off of TIH's 1st LP "Sundowning"

It says-
".... Bookmark this page this is where things fall apart
Remember these days, cause this is how downward spirals start.
These are things I never wanted to say, this is a place I never wanted to be...
So let it all come crashing down on me.
These are the things that we never ever wanted to know- if the good die young we'll fucking live forever
With smiling scars across our throats- if the good die young we'll fucking live forever."

Believe that shit.

Fuck ROP AGAIN

I did it again today. It killed me, didnt get 3rd rep on the 3rd ladder on left side.

I did 2 sets of snatches.

Then I did some hanging ab work from my pull up bar inside.

Then I was done and I ate a TON of food.

Serious Saturday

My friend Bonnie came and worked out with me like she's been saying she would for about the last 7 months....

We did a version of one of my favorite circuits- I stepped it up some in her honor.

We did 3 rounds of

R1

ground-up pistols (starting with butt on smal tire and standing up) 5 per leg

jog to 10 pull ups

jog to 3x 550lb tire flips

jog to 15 diamond push ups
jog to 60 yards of small tire drag

here is a pic of Bonnie pulling the small tire (I think it weighs about 90-110-ish. It really is harder that it looks. My legs hate it).

R2

5 shuffle squats into 5 deck squats

jog to 3 corn cob pulls up into 10 hands-together pull ups

jog to 3x550lb tire flips

jog to 30 push ups
jog to 60 yards tire drag

R3

ground up pistols, 5 per leg. i got through 4 on my left and 3 on my right before my legs stopped working. they failed. so i moved over to something higher. I couldnt do it from there either. waited 1 min and got 1 more rep on each leg. then it was over. here is pic of me getting up from last successful pistol from the tire...

jog to 2&2 pull ups al-la-p90X (did 2- so total of 8)

jog to 3x 550lb tire flip

jog to 30 elevated push ups

jog to 60 yard tire drag

Then it was over! We were pretty smoked and we had to put up the tire. After that I showed her some kimodo walks and we did some wheelbarrow walks but it was just screwing around.

It was a great Saturday morning workout and I think I'm going to really start blasting my legs on T & Th... Just an idea.

Excuses

Took today off. Super sore from yesterday etc and got home from work at 9PM.

Park day tomorrow and Friday as a make up day from ROP

As promised

These two really make me look like a bum, you know....

Trying to live the hype

Today was back on track with

1 round suicide frogs (20KG, 20KG, 24KG, 24KG) for a total of 40 yards distance 1 way.

Then 2 rounds

20 Shuffle squats (hands over head, heel-to-toe, jump, land opposite heel-to-toe, repeat)
30 push ups
10 pull ups (round 2 did 1-5 pull up ladder)
2o walking planks middle, left, middle, right

Jog 1/3 mile to recover

Finished with 1 more round suicide frogs, same configuration as before but on 1st leg there was no sprinting, only walking.

I was hungover as fuck today and tired.

ROP tomorrow.

Suck it, life.

"Functional Strength" Workout

Didnt workout yesterday b/c I spent the last 4 days (including yesterday morning) building a shed in my backyard for emergency storage. Then after finishing said shed, we moved a bunch of my mom's stuff into it including a piano, an antique stove (that almost weighed more than the piano) and a ton of other stuff.

I am sore sore sore sore.

I did however do some "wall presses" with the pre-fab sections of wall for the shed. Also did some "roof presses" with sections of roof and handed said sections of roof up onto guy on the roof all by my lonesome. I would say those sections of roof probably weighed about 80lbs and hte walls weighed about 60-ish. Sore.

Southern Kettlebell Ho-Down

So.... the illustrious Jen B of AoS fame and OnceAroundVenus fame showed up for a hangout sesh in Screwston this weekend and did we ever have one fuck-of-a-good-'ol-southern-time. Let me tell you-

Friday we introduced her to real mexican food and the den of sin known as the chocolate bar. We called it in early for hte inevitabole workout on Sat morning.

Sat at 10AM I introduced Jen to my park, the field, and the tire. We did a W workout that was swings, pushups, tire flips, deck squats, snatches, sprint back.

This was my first workout since Monday b/c from Tuesday until Friday afternoon I was on the couch all week sick as hell. This workout destroyed me. We did 3 rounds and after the 3rd round thought I was going to die. I probably wasn't physically ready for that kind of intensity but Jen was in town all the way from NE Tennessee so what could I do but suck it up and attempt to show her that all the bullshit she reads on here is in fact- not bullshit. I think I might have succeeded.

Nia from Austin is jsut outside of town as I type, Jen is on her way over and we are going to brunch- I know how urbane BUT there will be much fun and talk of kettlebelling.

Expect some pictures later.

some bullet points on being sick

1. took yesterday off b/ i felt sickness coming in- i was right. i am now on my couch watching movies on youtube- thank you everyone who uploads entire movies onto youtube byu breaking them into parts.

2. this weekend there seems to be a surprise i wasnt ready for- i am excited. i need to get better before friday or im gonna be PISSED.

3. need to eat. have home made veg soup- going to eat first real meal of day- not counting snot as sustenance.

WTF

I got sick in less than a day. I went from a slightlity sensitive nose that was running to feeling like hell in less than 24hrs. This is BULLSHIT. I HAVE to feel better before Friday. I've got stuff to do. DAMNIT!

Not cool.

Fuck ROP

Why is ROP so hard with the 24kg? I did day 1 of WK5 again today. It was still hard and a struggle- 3 ladders with 3 rungs each. Did all the snatches but had to do them with sets of 5 on each hand. I felt smoked afterwards and that frustrates me b/c it's not that long or hard of a workout buyt apparently it is. I keep reminding myself its hard b/c I am going up in weight. If I was using the 20KG's I would eat that for breakfast.

Then I went and ran some errands. While doing that I couldn'tshake the feeling I didn't do enough so I got home and ran 2/3rds of a mile of interval sprints. Had to stop to come in and start on dinner.

Tomorrow will be some leg destruction. More pistols, more sprints.

adding it up

did a some new complexes that i have been thinking about since sometime thursday. took thurs and friday off (friday's an off day anyway) to let me body recharge. i really did a number on it mon-wed.

wanted to get serious this morning and i did. got out to the field and took both 20KGs and both 24KGs. walking them out was my warm up b/c its about a 100 yard walk give or take to the shade.

With the 20KGs I did
5 double snatches and on last rep, stop in overhead lock out position, then 5 see saw presses (R+L=1)
Then over to the 24KGs and
5 Reps of RR left, RR right, push up, explode up to feet to KB DL, drop back down into a KB Burpee

My goal was to do these two complexes 5 times each all the way through. I didnt get it- I got 4 times. It was pretty hard. The see saw press REALLY worked me hard. It's a hard exercise, takes a lot of core tension and for some reason really worked my chest.

I liked this little workout. Try it out and let me know what you thought.

minimalism

did ROP WK5D2 yesterday. didnt do swings. just did pressing- barely had time to do that. i felt like i was too sore from Tuesday to really get it but I did pressing anyways and now i feel crippled from lactic acid. im not sure what fucked me up so bad from tuesdays workout but im feeling it

no witty title today.

I did 2 rounds of the following. Was going to do 3 but got got tied up with life when it showed up on my doorstep.

alternating btwn BW drills and KB drills.

Round 1-
3 corn cob pull ups
4R/4L 24KG windmills
30 reg push ups
4 squats w/ double 24KGs
4 two&two pull ups (2 overhand/switch grips at hang/2 under hand, repeat)
10 diamond push ups
40 yard double 24KG KB rack walk

Round 2-
8 reg pull ups
4R/4L 24KG windmills
20 military style push ups (elbows tight against body)
4 squats w/ double 24KGs
10 underhanded pull ups
25 elevated push ups
50 yard double 24KG KB rack walk.

I would have done more #ers on the push ups and pull ups but i was preparing to do 3 or 4 rounds. if i knew i was only going to do 2 rounds, i would have done a shit ton more push ups and more pull ups (i can do WAY more push ups than pull ups- not even comparable).

i will say this, rack walking with double 24KG's is hard. and squatting 2 24KG's is even harder. can someone tell my why i can squat 104lbs no problem but squatting 104lbs btwn 2 KBs is hard as shit. i feel like my body is going to explode from the tension in it.

even though i only did 2 rounds- I am sore today. opinions on this workout? anyone?

ROP Wk 5, day 1- AGAIN

I did ROP W5D1 again yesterday. Did the pressing. Felt pretty ok. The last set of 3 on hte left side was pretty ugly but it got done. I only did one set of snatches. I didn't eat anything all day yesterday so going balls out wasn't really happening. Other fact is, honestly, I'm smoking again and I need to stop. Other fact is, doing anything was hard yesterday. Motivation was lacking so much that I am excited that I did what I did.

Today will be some seriousness on the field, doing something. Pull ups, push ups, windmills, RR's, i don't know. I want to mix it up. Get my legs in there too...

Attack of the Monster Trucks

i moved furniture all day sunday. i dropped the truck's heavier-than-average tailgate on my hip. it fucking hurt. it still hurts. working out today is going to be interesting b/c of it.

i feel like im comming apart. this week is going to be hell. i redo ROP week 5 again this week, day 1 of that protocol is today. i anticipate being on ROP week 5 for a few more weeks before i can move up to more reps w/ the 24KG- it's heavy.

Getting serious in the rain..

I took yesterday off and did heavy day of ROP week 5 today. I owned it like it was my bitch, WAY better than Wednesday's pressing performance that just sucked. Today felt strong, my shoulders and lats felt used after the ladders.

I did snatches instead of swings b/c my snatches with 24KG need as much work as they can get. I know thats against strit protocol and I probably said somethging about doing ROP this time strict BUT... I don't know- I needed to do some snatches

Lactic Acid

is here. The suicide frogs workout killed me- KILLED ME. My entire trunk is sore and my legs are sore from the sprints. Actually, my whole body is sore, back, arms, shoulders, trunk/core/torso-whatever... and it hasn't even been a full day. Usually I take about 1-1.5 days to get sore after a serious workout. I have to say I am scared about tomorrow. I am going to have to do my ROP session tomorrow b/c I am too wrecked today to try- I think it would be harmful.

David Whitley might be my new hero/nemesis. Each of his workouts that I have done just kill me.

Get on the suicide frog protocol if you have access to somwhere that you can do sprints- it won't let you down.

Suicide Frogs...

David Whitley is a sadist and I don't even know the man. I found a post he did on DD about a workout called suicide frogs. Quirky name, right? Well let me tell you somthin buddy... it was a BITCH.

Suicides (AKA horses) with KB rack carries. 40 yards. 1 stop every 10 yards. Walk KB to 10yrd, sprint back to beginning, pick up another KB and wack walk to the 20 yard etc... then when all done sprint back out to the 40 yard KB and walk it in and so on unitl all bells are back at the beginning point. Doing this once all way through on R and then again on the L counts as one. I did 2 and felt FUCKED. I used 20KGs and 24KGs.
10yrd= 20KG
20yrd= 20KG
30yrd= 24KG
40yrd= 24KG

It really stuck me that I only did 2 and felt dead to the world so I did one more using double 24KG rack walks. I KB walked to the 10yrd, sprinted back, sprinted back to 10yrd and KB walked to 20yrd, sprinted back to beginning, KB walked to the 30yrd, jogged back to begginning, sprinted back to 30yrd, KB walked to the 40yrd, jogged back to beginning, sprinted back to the 40yrd and KB walked all way back in to the beginning.

I then almost threw up twice. Picked up bells and went inside and collapsed. This was hard as hell. DW said that it was really challenging and that it will drain you but man, he wasnt even kidding.

Btw it was 107 degrees outside. Took me 25 min.

ROP week 5 day 2

Did ROP again, still on track. Today was not as good as monday- not at all. Only got through half the swings (had to leave to meet wife) and the presses on my left side SUCKED- bad.

It's really frustrating b/c I know my body can do 3 ladders of 3 rungs- I fucking did it Monday. But yesterday, my left side wasnt cooperating. It felt really weak. I did 1,2,3 on left the first time and it was so-so but on the second ladder I 1, and when it came time for 2 it wasnt happening. I was having to cheat a little so I stopped and worked on negatives and assists. Didn't count the reps b/c ROP calls for strict form. UGH! Frustrating.

Im going to do more push ups and pull ups today and probably some TGUs and some sprints.

no work all drink

nuff said

Starting Over

So today I decided to do ROP over again, all the way through, this time w/ the 24KG- my nemesis. Sometimes I try and make excuses to myself that I have such a hard time with it b/c pound for pound- its heavy for me. I weigh 152-155lbs. That's bullshit. Fuck that whole line of thought. I won't ever get anywhere with excuses like that. I always talk shit about working out being the place where I take control- so I'm on my way to taking fucking control of that 24KG kettlebell. I have come far enough in my strength to really try ROP with it and you know what- I'm right.

I did day 1 of week 5 today. 3 ladders, 3 rungs each. I fucking at their lunch. The 3rd ladder on the left side was hard but it got done. No failure. Before I started I was scared that I wouldnt get the 3rd rung on the first ladder. Fuck being scared. Im scared enough right now about the rest of my life- I'm not going to be scared of failing w/ the bell. So I went for it and I got it.

Then the snatches 50-60 in 5-6 min. 10r/10L 1 min rest. I cannot do 10 snatches in a row w/ the 24KG on each side and then be able to do some more 1 min later. That isn't scared- that's something I know about me. So instead of being a little bitch and making an excuse for using the 20KG or just not doing it b/c I was tired, I made it my own and did R/L- sets of 3,4,5 & 5,4,4 for a total of 50 reps. I feel good about it. I think I finally just got the corkscrew method down on the snatch descent. It helps my grip a lot with the 24KG.

I'm going through all of ROP this time, no excuses. No giving in, no giving up. It might take me 15 weeks but I'm doing it.

What are you going to do?

On Repeat

"I've lost all the time that I have in this world, I've spent it unwisely, unwisely you see- And I can't get it back and I can't move forward, I'm broken and I'm empty, it's over for me

If I could undo all the wrongs that I've caused, fall to my knees pray for swiftness and just, for I'm just a fool, a fool driven to dust and the world ain't gonna change for me

So give me one more chance to prove these problems and frustrations aren't just manifested memories we're destined to repeat- a second chance to prove I know right from wrong, I swear I'll do things different but can't promise to be strong

So come on all you losers, you bastards and cheats, vagrants and barflies down on the streets, follow this path to salvation, vindication awaits- we're marching on East Broadway streets tonight

If you can look into this old face and try to see the young man, I swear I once was pretty, not the monster you now see, but I squandered all my chances, lost my faith and took for granted this life and precious one chance, the whirlwind I'll reap

If I could undo all the wrongs that I've caused, fall to my knees pray for swiftness and just, for I'm just a fool, a fool driven to dust- and the world ain't gonna change for me

So come on all you losers, you bastards and cheats, vagrants and barflies down on the streets, follow this path to salvation, vindication awaits- we're marching on East Broadway streets tonight "
- "Bastards on Parade"- DKM

110 degrees

outside. hot as hell. i think i saw the devil sitting on the curb of the park, fanning himself, and mubmling outloud about trying to figure out how to get back to hell b/c he preferred the climate.

the bad news just fucking keeps on coming. today was no different. it comes in 3's so in theory, on the next round i'm due a break. we'll see.

i came home early, cleaned the house as a warm up and then did

warm up with purple band- 30 sec curls, 30 sec presses (still cant put a bell on the wrist)

w/ the 24KG :10 swings, 1 ull up-on-up-to 10 swings, 5 pull ups/10 swings, 5 pull ups-on-down-to 10 swings, 1 pull up

70 yard sprint, 20 push ups/20sec break/70 yard sprint. 20 pushups
20sec break
70 yard sprint, 8 diamond push ups/20sec break/70 yard sprint, 8 diamond push ups

and that was it. i was smoked. it was so damned hot outside i just couldnt keep going. i went in a took a cold-water only shower and seriously, i was so hot the water dried on me before i could dry off.
but sprints are better than prozac- for sure.

Yesterday

I took off. Slept. Its been an emotionally wrecking week helping my mom move. Yay.

Today I will be getting serious on something- still cant really have a bell onmy wrist so I'm thinking pull ups, push ups, and SPRINTS.

new things

did p90X core synergistics work out today for the first time.

was it challenging- yes

did it work my core- yes, i think i can already feel it some.

did i like it better than grabbing bells and doing a circuit workout of TGU's, renegade rows, btwn leg pass/fig8 to holds, and russian twists? - NO.

will i do it again? probably. we'll see how i feel tomorrow and friday from it.

side note- i am FUCKING SORE from Mon and yesterday. My ass and back are superbly tight.

tomorrow is 4 days in a row- suck it trebeck!

ps: fuck you life.

Nothin' fancy here....

Simple and old school today.

4 rounds.
dips
jog
push ups
jog
plank (front, side, side, 30 sec each, no rest)
jog
push ups
jog
pull ups

did reg push ups, wide pushups, diamond push ups, sphinx push ups, pikes press push ups

did corn cob pull ups, regular pull ups, close grip pull ups, 2&2 pull ups

A "Good Idea"

i got tattooed saturday around my wrist and forearm area so no bells on the wrists for a few days. i wanted to make it count monday so i decided to do a lower body workout. i came up with this in my head-
4 rounds back to back squats w/ 28KG + ten 18" box jumps (done for speed)
70 yards walking lunges
w/ two 24KG KB Athletics KB/Burpee set substituting burpee w/ KB Burpee+DL (10 swings, 1 KBBDL, 10 swings, 2 KBBDL etc to 10 swings, 10KBBDL)
4 rounds behind back squats (6-8)
70 yards walking lunges back down field.

let me tell you something. squats/box jumps no prob. some leg cramping and some missteps on the jumps do to non-stop leg destruction but it got done.
walking lunges, no prob there either. bang. done.

then get to my modified swing/burpee combo. wow. i misunderstood my abilities there. i got through sets 1-3 and then hit hte wall. took me forever to get to set 5. after 5 i turned off the camera. i made the decision in my head to get through all 10 sets come hell or high water. i did. but it was horrible and hard. so hard. that whole protocol probably took me almost 18 min to get the 10 sets. sets 8, 9, and 10 all left me seeing stars and almost falling down b/c my legs were wrecked. carrying the bells back to my porch was an ordeal in itself.

needless to say i did not get the behind the back squats or the rest of the walking lunges. did i mention that it was 104 degrees outside? my legs are wrecked today. so so so sore.

video below of the squats and box jumps. i couldnt post the swing/KBBDL video. it was too big cause it took so long + it was kind of pathetic.

OOPS

I just realized that I cannot get serious on either Newport or SL's today b/c I got tattooed on my arm Saturday, all around my forearm and wrist. Can't have bells sitting on that part of my body right now so I'm thinking either p90X or a serious lower body workout with the bells- some squats (front and behind the back) some KB burpees+dead lifts, some box jumps, and some sprints and finish off with an assortment of planks. Decided, done.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

I did not do p90X. I road my bike all around for about 4-5 hours. It was fun. Got a flat on way home and just rode it out. Fuck it.

Today I'm going to need something SERIOUS. Either an honest all out attempt at Newport or maybe another attempt at Smoking Ladders- haven't made up my mind but I'm going to get it, whatever I do, I need it.

Magic 50 gets more magical

I decided to do the magic 50 friday. I wanted something quick but that would still be challenging. I thought of something I hadn't done in a while- the magic 50. I want to get my #ers up with the 24KG so I decided to do the M50 with that- it was hard. It was not quick. I would like to believe thad had I used the 20KG I would have banged it out. But with the 24KG. FUCK. I only took 60 second breaks after round 1 and round 2. The rest were like 3 min breaks. Snatches with the 24KG kill me. Its like my grip isnt strong enough and my body isnt strong enough. The gap in the ease of use for me between the 20KG and the 24KG is ridiculous.

Today, at some point, I'll do p90X chest and back to get in my pushups and pull ups. Overall right now my body feels weak. It might be b/c I just woke up. I'm going to do Newport on Monday- or Smoking Ladders! I want to get in cardio but I want more strength training and SL should do just that.

failure and sucess

i made it home, dying inside. so depressed that breathing was hard. changed, got bells, went out to the field, and for the first time i couldn't do it. the bells wouldn't move. i couldn't do it. i was devastated. i felt so defeated. i just couldnt move them. my body wouldnt cooperate. its like i was just dead physically. i had no strength. it felt like the last straw broke... i got so mad.

my wife saw me down and suggested we go run sprints at the park. we ran 1 mile of interval sprints alternative sprinting a quarter and walking a quarter. where i couldnt lift a bell, i could do that. so i sprinted until i could literally sprint no more. no longer feel defeated. still feel down and out and sort of hopeless BUT i didn't give up on my exercise for the day. i found a way to make it work- i wish the rest of my life was like that. i'm sure it could be but it just seems so much more complicated. i've got to work on it.

"Peace is just a warm gun away..

..... it's deeper than where there's a will there's a way.
I won't grit my teeth and bare it- If my violence came in the form of a crown of thorns I'd wear it.
I am so afraid
My feet are on the ground and I still haven't found a reason to pretend. So sweep me under the rug, so no one's with me when I lose my head.
I feel hopeless when I just wish I could feel a little less. I feel hopeless when I just wish I.... wish I..."
- Blacklisted "Stations"

FUCK IT!

The heat has been turned back up. Got a phone call and an email yesterday that I knew was coming. I was right- it came. I think my Tues depression fit had to do with knowing it was coming. Last time something came up the same thing happened. I don't know how to explain but I can feel it coming and when I get that feeling it usually does.

I was also right about being too sore to workout yesterday. I was. My body needed the day off. I'm going to do p90X today.

I have self-destructive tendencies even on my best of days. It's part of why I workout so hard. If you workout so hard it hurts, I mean really hurts, it's like self destruction- it feels like anyways but it has positive consequences provided you don't over-do it. Now when I get in a place or a situation like I am currently in (which hasn't happened in the last 13 years), those tendencies get amplified. That's where I am now. I am almost passed being scared and just don't give a fuck- almost. If I didn't have the most beautiful and amazing wife in the world I wouldn't.

I am not going to let what happened back in March happen again. I stopped eating. I stopped working out. It was bad. Every inch of my body doesn't want to work out today- and it's only 9:22 in the morning. When I get home though, I am changing, and I am going outside (just decided no p90X) and I am going to murder myself on that field. I plan on crying and vomiting and collapsing.

This entry is dramatic but it's where I am. I am a roller coaster moment to moment. I care. I don't care. I'm terrified. I'm numb. I'm depressed. I'm full of rage. I want to go out on the field and waste myself to the point that my mind and body are so exhausted they don't have the energy to fluctuate like that. I want a steady, dull hum of background noise. I want to sleep the sleep of the dead- no more nightmares. I want to feel alive again and feel like I have my life back.

Descending hell

panic attacks at work. depressed as fuck. hate life. didnt want to work out. hot as fuck. 106. made myself work out and do it outside.

did descending/ascending
50 swings/10 BW squats
40 swings/20 BW squats
30 swings/30 BW squats
20 swings/40 BW squats
10 swings/50 BW squats

took me 25 min. destroyed my legs. lower back super tight. probably did some swings wrong or im just tired. my legs are wrecked. my whole body is sore from yesterday. p90X tomorrow. cant do bells. i'll be too sore. i wont be able to walk by tomorrow afternoon. so wrecked i dont care about anything else. definitely better than pill or booze.

did i get it....?

i personally dont think so. i tried snatching the two 24KGs today. I tried it twice, both attempts are in the video below. the first was almost there- at the very end they sort of go around my hands instead of over them- i don't think i should count it (opinions from you all as i'm brutal on myself)

After this I got down to business with a modified version of the double KB workouts from last week.

3 sets of 5: KB burpee+double clean w/ 24KGs fifth rep 36 yard rack walk
3 sets of 5: KB burpee+deadlift w/ 24KG fifth rep 36 yard farmer's carry.then to BBall court for the following using two 24KG bells once, all the way through, without stopping-overhead rack walks down, rack walks back, farmer's carries down, alt rack walk right side back, alt rack walk left side down.

this SUCKED. my forearms and hands were wrecked! i finished it off w/ a snatch ladder. i am working on my numbers using hte 24KG on snatches. i have decided to start training for the RKCwhen I can take it. today I did one set of 1-3 ladders, non-stop. that video is here-

after those i was dead. went in, amde dinner, ate, then went back out and mowed the yard with the push mower. that was the last nail in the coffin. i am so sore this morning workout this afternoon is going to be hilarious

RKC & Me?

soooo, I'm the kind of guy that when I get into something I really like, I really get into it. That has been the case with KB's since I found them 2.5 years ago.

I have been considering the RKC since I heard about it when I started. I thought I would never be able to achieve what was necessary to be certified. The course requirements terrified me.

A good friend, the one and only Jenn B, is going to the RKC in October and that got me to really thinking- can I do it?

I went to the Dragon Door page today and looked over the requirements for men again. The weight class that I am in is the 148lb class (I am 2lbs under the 154lb class). That would mean I would ahve to snatch the 24KG 38 times for the snatch test (15 on one side 13 on the other?) and that I would have to use 2 16KG bells for the grad workout.

Now the grad workout doesnt scare me so much- 2 16KG bells is really a whatever. I'm sure it's terrible and will have me cursing my mother having bore me into the world BUT I know I can do it.

The snatch test, however, I cannot do as of today. With training, yes, I could. 38 snatches isnt the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard number wise even though snatching the 24KG I can do about 12-15 snatches without stopping. Like I said, it would take some serious practice but doing snatch ladders every day for 2 weeks and then going for #ers all out would get me there.

What I cannot do is the pressing work with the 24KG. I cannot press the 24KG for reps of 5 multiple times. I cannot sots press. I cannot bent press. More importantly, I do not think I could learn to do those things before October. Not to mention the all important fact that there is no way in hell that I could afford to do the certification.

Then agian my job is fickle. Sometimes I make no $ and soemtimes from out of nowhere a huge check shows up. If a huge check shows up or I win the lottery or something else very unlikely to occur- I want to go to the RKC Oct cert. UGH!

Either way, I'm comming for you RKC and though I may be slight in size, I will conquer you.

p90X'ed

ddint make the 5 days this eek. got 4. made the conscoius decision yesterday to start drinking whiskey @ 1PM thereby destroying any hopes of getting in a workout. hung out with the wife all nite at the house wathcing movies.

today did p90X chest and back routine. got serious about it and really kicked it up. made a difference too b.c my numbers were way better and this is the 3rd time ive done it- i have to say my close-grip pull ups and diamond push up are astonishingly better. crazy progress.

zach even-esh might be my new hero. after doing that workout of his that someone posted i went to his website and checked him out on youtube. that guy is a fucking nut! i love it! hsi outdoor stuff is JUST like what we have been doing at the park for the last 1.5 yrs. there are some awesome ideas on there and he just has an energy and passion that i really can connect with. it gets me amped- makes me want to lift REALLY heavy shit and then do sprints.

next week is going to be awesome. i cant wait to do some more double KB workouts. i am also going to try and snatch the two 24KG's next week in a double snatch attempt. that would be 67% of my body weight.

Another double KB workout from the AoS forum...

with his response to my David Whitley double KB workout. He said he got this workout from Zach Even-Esh, it was a 'loaded-conditioning' workout. I had wondered "hrm, what does that mean, loaded conditioning"? Well I found out tonite. Loaded conditioning is trainer speak for make-your-whole-body-cramp-up-until-al-your-muscle-groups-fail-and-you-almost-have-a-moment-of-incontinence. Yep. That's what the term 'loaded-conditioning" means.
The work was prescribed as follows-

"Kettlebell walks for either distance or time1. Double overhead carry KB walk 2. Rack walk 3. Farmer's walk4. Cross Carry - (1KB overhead, 1KB in Farmer position) alternate arms5. Overhead carry the length of a basketball court - Push press x 5 reps6. Rack walk to other end - Squats x 5 reps7. Farmer walk back the other way - Alternating rows - 5 reps each side8.Cross carry to other end - Squat into a high pull x 5 reps9.Cross carry using opposite arms - Alternating snatch x 5 reps"

It was mentioned that it was brief but intense. I used my 2 20KG bells and got to business. I am happy to say I made it to past the rows before I droppped the bells.

While reading this, JUST NOW, i realized i did this workout all wrong. I did 5-9 like they were all of the workout and 1-4 like they were clarification. It makes much more sense now. MUCH MORE why you might just do it once through.

I did 5-9, it SUCKED but I felt like I didnt do enough so I repeated it. I took video of me repeating it, its HILARIOUS and below- I walked too far out of frame so you only get to see half of the hilarity

. I now realize you are supposed to do 1-9 all the way through, probably once. I assume once. If it is more than once than I feel like a giant maxi pad.

Either way. The first way through was great, hard but great. The second way through after the rows, my grip died. I mean died. My forearms are still ruined and typing is hard. Next time I will do it correctly and let you all know how that goes.

If you're into the double bell workouts, this one gets 2 thumbs up. I think it was harder than DW's. The squat into a high pull was really really hard and the alternating snatches at the end was like someone shooting your dog in front of you and then laughing at you about it- they were that bad.

Today was..

I was supposed to do either p90X, Newport or Firepower today. I didn't. I was so sore from Mon and Tues I thought taking today off might be more productive then hitting it tomorrow and Friday and Saturday to get in my 5 days.

Still, I feel like I'm being weak even though I really do know that my muscles and my body needs a day off after Mon and Tues- that was some serious shit for me.

I'm such a fruit cake.

Ugly and Uglier

Today we kicked old school style. Just the little tire (I'm not sure how much that thing weighs- 90-120ish. it has a eye-bolt through it with a rope tied in for dragging. it's our dragging tire) and the field.

We did 4 rounds of-

5 leaping push-ups a-la-Mr.-Mattioni
5R/5L pistols-in-training
assorted pull ups
60 yard tire drag finish with tire pull to you down the length of the rope left.

Pull ups went as followed
Rnd 1 - 3 corn-cobs

Rnd 2 - 10 in&outs (like end of corn cob but dont go down, just in and out- first time ive done
this, HARD but i was amped i got 10)

Rnd 3- regular pull ups1-5/5-1 ladder (amazed i did them all)

Rnd 4- close grip pull ups (thumbs touching) 1-3/3-1 (amazed i did all b/c on p90X i can do max
3)

Then jogged 1/3 mile lap to cool down.

Stick a fork in me folks, 'cause I am fucking DONE.

SUCK IT TREBECK!

So I posted something on the AoS Forum about knowing what you can't do and how that's really a load of shit- I was talking to myself in regards to accomplishing the "corn-cob pull up".

Well I'll take a second helping of that today. I was trying to figure out what to do- I wasn't feeling a DVD. I felt like if I did anything else I would half-ass it- it was an existential dilemma. Then I got a mass email from David Whitley with this workout in it-

"Kettlebell burpee + Double snatch:5 reps, after the last rep, walk with the KBs in the overhead lockout position for 10-20 yards.
Complete 3-5 rounds.

Kettlebell burpee + Deadlift:5 reps, after the last rep, walk with the KBs in the farmer carry position for 10-20 yards.Complete 3-5 rounds."

I read that and I was excited about it but I saw it called for double snatches.... double snatches- the enemy. I have not been able to do them. It's a mental block, it freaks me out moving that much metal over my head at once. I can flip that tire- so I know I can generate enough full-body power to pul off the double snatch, it just scares the hell out of me.

So I get home and make up my mind to do the workout and I'll figure out what to modify for hte double snatches. I grab 2 20KGs and 2 24KGs and walk them out to the park (that was my warm up). While walking them out there I said to myself FUCK IT! You can do the double snatch and not only can you but you will do it.

I did 3 rounds of KB Burpees + double snatches to walk-outs with the 20KGs, 3 rounds of KB Burpees-double cleans to rack walks with the 24KGs, and 5 rounds of KB BUrpees+deadlifts to farmer's carries with the 24KGs.

I am fucking amped! I didn't think I could do that but I did. I did it. Me. I told myself to shut up and eat it. Now those double snatches weren't the prettiest ever, especially come round 3- but I could 3 rounds of 5.

AND I took video. Here is round 1 of each workout group

Group 1

Group 2

Group 3

New Thing I'm Excited About

I'm sure lots of people can do these. I saw them on the p90X video and though, "OH! There's no fucking way I can do those..."
Well, I was wrong. I can.

Here is video of me doing (somewhat decently) my new favorite stupid, human trick- the "Corn Cob Pull Up"

Anniversary off/on Day

So today was supposed to be my last day of the week to get serious- day 5.

Well today also happens to be my 5 year wedding anniversary. I just couldnt make myself do Firepower. However, we did hang out for a while watching Monster House on DVD and while we did that I did a heavy leg session.

5 rounds with the 28KG of-
Front Squats (5,5,8,10)
1 Legged Dead Lifts (5R/5L)

I tried to add in 5 rounds of behind the back squats but my legs were actually fried. I was thinking about doing something else but said fuck it.

Next week I will get back on the 550lb tire very seriously.

Vomiting BEFORE a workout (that's a change of pace...)

I'm still smoked from yesterday and getting back on 5 days a week. Today was my 4th day on for the week, I threw up most of my lunch at work. I worked out anyways b/c I'm an idiot and if I didn't I would be depressed.

I did a moderate W workout. 3 rounds with
1-
10 swings (24KG)
jog to pulsing lunges
jog to 2 tire flips (550lb)
jog to 5 burpees
jog to 5 C&P R/L
jog back

2-
20 btwn the leg passes (28kg)
jog to 10 divebomber push ups
jog to 2 tire flips (550lb)
jog to snatches 5 R/5L (20KG)
jog to 3 corn-cob pull ups a-la-p90X

3-
4 windmills R/L (24KG)
jog to 10 deck squats
jog to 2 tire flips
jog to 10 burpees
jog to 2 double C&P w/ the 24KG (PR for me)

That was all I had. I got sweaty. Moved and did something but def did not max the envelope.